Set This Circus Down
by Kariko Emma
Summary: Fanfic of a fanfic? An odd tale about a circus going down in flames and a young girl trapped in time.
1. Curiosity and the Cat

**Set This Circus Down**

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 **Dedication and quick Author's Note:** This is for Taylor Hatake. :) And this is…sort of a fanfic within a fanfic. It includes most of the characters from my story ' _Coushander_ ' here on fanfiction dot net, and it stars Taylor Hatake, who belongs to Taylor Hatake. I felt like dropping them all in a crazy circus, no idea why. Title may end up changing, but so far it's the only thing that's stuck….besides just calling it 'Cou and the Circus'….

 **Disclaimer:** I was keeping Sakumo's name, so I don't own that (Kakashi is Enoki….Kishi's rejected name for him), and I do not own Taylor Hatake.

 **Genre:** General/Adventure

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Chapter 1, _Curiosity and the Cat…_

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"…Ouch!"

The young girl rubbed her wrist and then quickly continued writing down the rest of her notes, the words falling as diagonals on the notebook page but legible none the least. Science was one of her favorite classes, so she couldn't afford to miss anything, a sore wrist or not. "…Ha!" she smiled in a eureka moment as the teacher finished and offered some homework assignments to end another day's lecture.

Packing up, she made her way home.

It was three o'clock and though she was reminding herself about the wrist brace waiting for her at home, she couldn't help but get lost in all the beautiful colors of foliage on her way home. The parade of warm tones were like yellow and red lanterns with sunlight glowing through each of them with air smelling just like apple pie. Birdsong echoed from the trees with small sparrows moving like tiny darts in between.

The bright afternoon was warm and relaxing on her face, and also quiet just like her walk home. She spotted the blue lake hidden behind the dense line of trees. Here in this lane it was always hiding furtively like a friend waiting to be found. From her home, it was a winding route to get to that lake and from this one it was a rocky incline downward. Either way it was an adventure, something never in short supply in this small town.

"…Oh boy, I hope he's not hurt," she remembered again, seeing her home in sight similar to that little blue lake.

Her grandfather had been building something in the backyard.

The girl's pace increased up to the porch and through the front door where she kicked off her shoes and dropped her schoolbag in her room (quite carelessly too since today was Friday). She remembered her brace for the repetitive motion injury and hesitantly made her way out to the back door, not even bothering to change out of her school uniform.

Her father was still at work in the city, but her grandfather was indeed home. He was supposed to be looking after the fields he kept, but the young woman could tell he was inside the… _.thing_ he was building. She had to call it that because she couldn't believe what it _really_ was. Even though this world held wonder, universal constants couldn't exactly be changed. (And he'd have known that had he finished school. A little joke she teased him about.) Putting on a smile, she walked up to the door and knocked.

The building was an off shoot standing by itself by the wooden shed filled with gardening tools her grandpa made use of nearly every day. The size of the structure was not near as large though and was very square shaped. Her knock was hollow and metallic with the outside panels being all recycled aluminum. The frame and floor however was salvaged wood—mostly from the fence he'd repaired last summer with her help. Paint cans sat outside by the half-dozen—shades of blue, gray, and white waiting for her opinion and assistance.

A few moments later she heard a slight crash and then her grandfather opened the door, "Taylor! You're home!"

Her fake smile grew wider, happy to see him in one piece. Catching a glance inside his mess, she swallowed hard, struggling to keep that smile. "How's it…um…going?" For progress couldn't exactly be measured here in a sea of tools, cabinets, strings of glowing electric lights, and old computer parts arranged in patterns similar to the old _Tetris_ games. The small building had a couple windows in triangle shapes because he'd run out of metal to use as siding, and without those and the electric lights, she doubted she'd be able to see anything here. Taylor stepped inside as her grandfather answered, "Come and see!"

If anything, it was like a shrine. And the family already had such a thing somewhere west where all the names of their ancestors were written in kanji and hiragana. Except this shrine held their pictures. "Doesn't it look neat?" he asked his grandfather, a wide grin on his face.

"Um—yeah! It's cozy," she answered truthfully, looking over the pictures of her extended family and great-grandfather and uncle and friends. Even if it didn't work as it's intended purpose, her grandfather had built a small desk where he could build birdhouses or mend kites or something productive. There was a small radio there too and some fresh cut flowers—pink roses in a small cylindrical vase, "Oh—that's cute!" she smiled again, bending over to smell them.

"I hope to get her working in another few days," he winked.

"Grandpa…" her voice soured, "Seriously?"

"I've already taken it for a test run!"

She rolled her eyes a little. "You mean you went into the _past?"_

"It was yesterday," he grinned (like a lunatic of course), "Worked just like a charm! I saw your great…great uncle's circus alive and well on the east side of town," he pointed to one of the pictures which was nearly a bright orange blur were it not for the focus of one individual in grey with a green tie, smiling.

The circus in question was no more. Instead it was a slightly bumpy patch of land crowded with trees and ancient fungi growing on rotted limbs and thick green moss like shaggy carpet. Taylor found it very hard to believe anything had ever been there. The spot was simply someplace local children dared each other to explore. She knew that full well since she had been the first and only one to make it deep inside. She was only seven, half her age now, and had just started martial arts classes to hone her inner power. The young girl traversed inside in hopes that the other children might finally stop teasing her at school. It worked to some extent. Her father had to come rescue her, both cross to find her there and overjoyed no harm came to her. Taylor was brought out, fidgeting in his arms telling him she was fine with bright blooms of pink embarrassment across her face. In her right hand she was clutching a souvenir from the journey to show the other kids, a very old chocolate bar wrapper, one that used to sell at that fair for a nickel marked right on the package when nowadays candy that size was almost a dollar. Only with that proof, the other children believed she'd gone as far as she had, and for the rest of the year she no longer had to worry about someone teasing her silvery white hair.

It was a genetic trait in her family going back generations. Her hair was shoulder length over her uniform, dark blue over a light green shirt and white shorts (for summer weather which they were still experiencing). The girl had ice blue eyes unlike her father and grandfather whose eyes were a dark ebony color. Both were taller than her—even grandpa in a dusty old robe cut off at the knees with a white tank underneath and dark blue pants. "Grandpa," she wondered aloud, "Why is that place so weird now and so overgrown?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's all forested…and I've heard some adults say it's guarded by strange magic."

Her grandfather smiled. "I doubt that. Still. It's not someplace you should ever go again young lady. It's wild…it is that. As wild as can be with all sorts of creeping things. It's a miracle your father found you that one time."

Taylor frowned at her grandfather's lacking explanation, it seemed to be all he would give for now.

"Well! Better go start dinner!" he announced, adding, "Don't wait up!" and left her in his little time machine.

Taylor soon smiled again, looking over all the ancient family photos. Outside of her father, grandfather, and uncle, she didn't really know any of them. In fact, grandpa rarely told stories about her great-great uncle's circus making it only more mysterious…

"Hm," she wondered, looking at a picture of that curious uncle; silver white hair the shortest cut of them all with warm black almond shaped eyes and red stripes bordering either side, pointing back to his hairline. Her great-uncle had them, except the stripes were down his cheeks and his hair much longer in the back than his brother's. She never saw him much, he traveled a lot. He was younger than grandpa by ten years.

Thinking of far off places, she remembered her father—he should be home soon.

They had dinner as usual as a family, just the three of them. Her father talked about work and Taylor listened with interest—she hoped someday she might join the Pentala, given her and her family's unique gift. Most people had one, of one kind or another. There was a kid at school she knew who could copy another's appearance at will. (Roll call was sometimes redundant.) Then another who had the power to eat twelve lunches in one sitting…although she wasn't entirely convinced if that was a superpower or if the kid practiced a lot in eating competitions.

Her family's power was a special one—they could harness their inner power, _ki_ , into light energy. Her grandfather used it with blades—her father with his bare hand, and Taylor with both. When she wasn't sparring with them or her sensei, it came in handy as a nightlight for late night reading as she simply lifted a finger and wrote or read on.

She used it again that night, reading an installment of another trilogy in jeans and a t-shirt till she fell asleep, dreaming about the forest that was once home to the greatest most mysterious circus in all of history. Really. Why did it burn down, and how exactly did the land get that way?

Taylor woke up in a curious mood to find out.

Strapping on a backpack with a couple of her notebooks, pens, some markers and pencils (in case she found something worth drawing), some water, a sweater, and her favorite short knife (hey a girl's got to protect herself in this world), she headed out into the backyard to concoct a story for her grandfather, tinkering around with metal and wood by his time machine (aka, shrine).

"Ok!" he called. "Have fun sketching!"

She smiled a little, _Way too easy_ , she thought and proceeded to the main road. She looked back remorsefully at the now distant home. She shouldn't have lied like that, but she could apologize later. For now, she wanted to satisfy her curiosity. She looked back one more time, wishing she could have at least said goodbye to her father, but his shift was an early one. Hopefully she'd catch him on the way home to talk about it all. Sometimes he'd surprise her on the way home on weekdays, falling from these trees by lane, laughing at her surprised face with the tiny sparrows screeching obscenities overhead.

The young girl progressed to the forest and finally reached her destination after a calm forty-five minute walk. (It was clear on the other side of town.)

The forest line looked the same as she remembered it: foreboding, dark, greenish, bluish, and cold. Really really cold. Glad she packed her sweater, she fished it out and pulled it over her head, adjusting her brace and pulling down the fabric to straighten herself in the face of this 'wild'. There was moss thick as cushions and broken limestone, wood, and darkness in every corner—trees so close together she marveled at this place that once was a vast field and a good time. Something definitely seemed strange here…

Taylor clutched the strap of her bag and hesitated after she took a step forward—she saw movement. Her brain told her pounding heart it was just a bird. She was close; it was an owl, a small one and kind of cute (even though it did give her a heart attack at first).

The young girl stepped inside and the owl leaned forward from her perch, "…You're back!" she said softly.

Now Taylor's heart nearly jumped from her chest—"What?!"

"It's you, isn't it! I'd recognize that hair anywhere! I remember you!"

"Y-y-y-you spoke!" Never mind the fact she just had another comment about her hair color…

"Of course, silly!" the owl seemed to smile and she flapped her wings a little in excitement. "It's me, Michiko!"

"M-Michiko?"

"Yes!" The little owl smiled, "Welcome back, Taylor-chan!"

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	2. Moth and a Flame

**Set This Circus Down**

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Chapter 2, _Moth and a Flame_

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"I—I thought animals like you were just a legend…" Taylor managed to get out after a few moments. In fact she was reading about such an animal in her books at night…except in that case it was a talking dog.

"Just a legend? Oh dear, in this world of wonders, anything is possible!"

Taylor was still pretty certain the statement still excluded something like time travel, but Taylor went with it. "So…I…know you?"

"Yes, when you were very little you came in here and got lost."

"Oh—yeah…"

"Still don't remember me?"

"Well…I don't know. I remember a really big tree…and…I know I'd found this really old candy wrapper...and then my father found me and carried me out."

"Then please, allow me to show you something."

"…Okay," Taylor agreed.

She followed the little owl on a long walk through the forest. Stepping over rocks and limbs, the owl simply glided from one limb to the next. "…How long have you been here?" Taylor wondered softly.

"A long time," replied the owl, "But not as long as some," she added. Taylor could feel the presence of other animals nearby, but non came forward quite like Michiko.

"So—there are others like you? Who can speak?"

"Oh yes," she said.

Finally Taylor saw the appearance of a very, very large tree in the center of the forest. The trunk was wider than grandpa's homemade shrine/time machine and very dark brown, devoid of any vines or moss—something Taylor thought a little odd. It was also very familiar, and she felt a queer sensation when she was near it. Walking up to it, she looked at it from all angles. "Here is where you were," the owl said quietly.

She _was_ here before—the little red and white headband was tattered and still looped around a branch hanging down in front of her face. Taylor smiled at it. All the boughs were sad and drooping on this tree which wasn't a willow, but it wasn't an oak either, but somewhere in between with medium green foliage and deep grooves in the bark.

There was one groove in particular that caught the young girl's eyes immediately—it was more like a knot, a pale scar in the shape of a diamond starring her in the eyes, it's edges perfect and clean. Taylor's skin quivered nervously, in excitement. She looked down. There was a giant root grown out of the soil, looking a bit like the back of a turtle. "…Did I…trip on that?" she wondered.

"I'm afraid you did."

Taylor rolled her eyes, "Typical."

But her gaze, every time, was drawn back to the diamond in the tree. "Hey…" she remembered, "Were there…lights?"

"There were. Blues and yellows…And greens too I think."

"My power? But my power light is blue. A light blue…like ice. How could there have been other colors?" Taylor wondered for a moment if grandpa knew about these 'lights' and if that was the reason he stayed away.

"I remember you touched the tree with your power and it reacted with lights. You made butterflies and all kinds of pretty things," Michiko smiled.

"Really?" Taylor took a small, curious step forward. "How come I don't remember? I mean—I think I do, but yet I don't."

"Perhaps…" the owl thought, "No," she changed her mind slowly. "That would be impossible."

Taylor laughed a little, "My grandpa is building a time machine. Try that one for impossible."

"Oh! How lovely!" Michiko smiled.

Taylor chuckled again. Finally she reached out her hand to touch the bark—as soon as her fingers laid the slightest touch she saw an amber glow mixed with ice blue.

"Whoa!" she withdrew her hand, conscious of her surroundings, trying to feel for any danger. But the warm color vanished as quickly as it'd come. "Michiko…what's up with this tree?"

"I've been trying to figure that one out for a long time. As far as I know, this tree reacts with someone's energy—though you're the only one to try. And I daresay it likes yours."

Taylor smiled a little and like a moth to a flame, she hesitantly, carefully, touched the tree again. This time the light reacted with her energy—a low input, a dim, steady glow of different colors. Higher, brighter. Higher she pushed, higher—

WHIZZ!

Taylor withdrew her hand and massaged it, but caught a glimpse of something strange—an image of bright lights and stripped colors, round orbs and movement. "What…?" Taylor whispered. Hesitant to recall the image but wanting answers, she reached out her hand again, hoping to control the energy output.

Suddenly she was on the other side and saw the circus as was in a blur under a warm yellow sun and no trees—or very few except for this one. Quickly she turned and saw the portal from which she'd come—the cold green and blue darkness and Michiko, curiously looking on. Then Taylor turned and everything became clear.

Sound began to come to her ears, first like through underwater, then loud in laughter and crowd noise, the distant drum of a good time rolling down a high rise and a giant Ferris wheel on her left. The sunshine intensified on her clothes, instantly heating her core to where she was almost perspiring. "…Wait…" her body senses came back to her as if she'd been a statue and she looked behind her—the portal was no longer there. Just the tree. And it was much, much smaller. It was barely the size of her small waist growing straight with summer leaves on downward, drifting boughs. "…What…?! No! _No_ …!" She touched the three, but nothing happened. Frantically she tried multiple times, but no results. No light shows—no Michiko. No grandpa. No father. No…home!

"Oh…shit," she swore quietly. "Oh shit. Oh shit. This _can't_ be. This just _can't_ be _possible!"_ she whispered.

"…So what'll we have to eat?"

"I've heard the hot dogs are good!"

"I want mine with no onion. I can't stand onions."

"Baka! You can build them how you want!"

Taylor turned to her left slowly and saw the pair in shorts and tank tops, waiting for fair food. On her right was a long, wide alley way lined with so many game tents she didn't know exactly where any of this ended. "Oh boy…" tears welled up in her eyes from looking about so much and staring but really she knew they'd come soon enough anyway for as much trouble as she believed she was in.

Slowly, she turned her attention back to the food cart, her eyes glossing over the consumers and workers to find their little calendar hanging on the wall…

Her heart sunk into the pit of her stomach to find the date sixty-seven years in reverse. That would have made grandpa only eleven years old.

Suddenly sick to her stomach, she looked around herself again and found a vacant little bench behind the food truck. Seizing it at once she hid her face in her palms, trying to talk herself out of a panic attack. _Ok if I got here, there is every reason why I should be able to get back! There's got to be…! This_ cannot _be a one-way ride!_ Even though that positive self-talk couldn't quite manage the devastation of leaving behind her home and lying to grandpa about going to see that forest in the first place…

She cried.

And in her sorrow, was oblivious to the crowd sound and food smells and warm sunshine on a beautiful day at the circus.

Her face was red and her head a little light when she looked up:

A very, very tall man was standing before her, a sort of serious expressing etched onto his face, "Hello," he said quietly. "May I sit next to you?"

"Um—mm-hm," she squeaked in agreement, quickly drying her face.

"I was wondering…would you like to hear a joke followed by a piece of advice?"

"Um—okay."

"The joke is this: one day a man named Dalzen Moreno was asked by a friend to fill a special position. Dalzen needed work, and so he accepted his friend's offer. Little did Dalzen know…he'd have to wear _this_ to work."

'This' referred to his striking…jacket…cape…thing.

He was obviously a magician or illusionist or something, except the cape part was in front with two tails and green triangles bordering the zipper pull. There was also some faint green-yellow pin-striping and the back was cut high. Other than that he looked normal in long black sleeves of a cuffed shirt and black pants. His hair was also that color…sort of. It was beginning to gray and lighten, and it hung jaw-length. His eyes were small and dark and Taylor blushed a little. Even though he did look terribly ridiculous, he was quite handsome.

He apologized. "I'm sorry. That wasn't much of a joke. I can't tell them well, but I thought I'd try. You looked so sad."

Taylor smiled a little and Dalzen continued, "The piece of advice is simply this, never, ever take a job because a friend asks you to," he winked.

Her smile widened and though she had been watching him the entire time, she didn't notice the pink rose he'd pulled from his sleeve resting now right under her nose. She smelled the sweet fragrance and gasped a little, her eyes widening in astonishment. It happened so fast, she wondered if it had even come from his sleeve or from thin air. "…Wow!"

"For you," he smiled.

"Ah—thank you!" She colored, taking it.

"Welcome to Monkey's Circus and Amusement. Just beware of Monkey though. He's the friend I mentioned," Dalzen smiled. "Funny…" he thought, "You have the exact same hair color he has. Different eyes though. Yours are very blue."

"Oh—thank you," she said.

"Well," he said, standing until she interrupted him—

"Hey, um, can I ask you something? I know it might sound crazy…but…that tree over there," she pointed. "Is it…normal?"

"Normal? How do you mean?"

"Like….it's never glowed or anything?"

"Not that I know of…No. All I know is Monkey planted it, ten, eleven years ago, I think."

"Oh ok, nevermind!" she laughed nervously. "Must've been a trick of the sunlight," she smiled, trying not to sound like a lunatic…though her grandfather often used that word in describing their family.

"Um, sure. See you around, I hope," he nodded his head and went on his way.

"Oh boy…." she sighed heavily, "What do I do now…?"

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	3. Monkey and Horse

**Set This Circus Down**

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Chapter 3, _Monkey and Horse_

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The afternoon began to pass by and she was no closer to discovering what brought her here. Losing interest in the circus she picked up her bag and left for the original forest that bordered this grassland of tents and commotion. It was there she tried her power in the air and on a few other trees, but without success. Beginning to feel numb and empty and horribly miserable, the sun was just starting to set when she looked up to find one glimmer through the bluish woods: a light source, flashed then gone. A spark!

With caution and stealth the girl approached. Soon she heard _clink_ noises, far apart, then close together. Could these be old Pentala members, having a battle? Her pulse quickened. She listened. No, it was only a mock fight: "Is that all you've got?" a youthful voice grinned—he was only a blurry shirtless mass flying through the trees. Taylor was impressed by his agility. She could tell he was short though, maybe an inch or two taller than her.

The other, a very brown blur from head to toe was closing in, "Not a bit! I've yet to light such a candle in all of these Blue Woods! _To the death!"_

" _To the death!"_ the other repeated and with one violent wind, suddenly the two came crashing down on the forest floor bringing their blades, and when the rapid gale ceased and she opened her eyes it seemed a draw—both in perfect, still poses with their blades crossed and then…they fell over on each other, laughing like dogs.

After a while, even Taylor smiled, watching from some distance away.

The man in brown collected himself first, picking himself up off his friend and straightening his clothes. A brown half-cloak tied in the front, brown-blonde wispy hair with a few strands of grey here and there, a brown long sleeved shirt beneath, and black pants. His bangs were long and messy over his eyes, but he appeared to be as old as the magician she'd met, perhaps a few years older judging by how stiff he was brushing himself off.

The man on the ground rose up just like a frog, covered in dirt and smudges, even on his gleaming white hair. Taylor gasped—Could this really be…her old uncle?

The short man made little effort to look presentable after a spar like that. He simply plucked a twig from his hair, shook himself once, and then reached for a white shirt nearby hanging on a branch. He was pulling on an old green tie when his friend spoke, "Same time tomorrow?"

"As much as I'd like to," the short man replied, "But I think I better hit the books, or the books'll hit me," he chuckled tiredly.

The other shook his head, "Monkey you're the worst accountant in the world. It's such a wonder you've stayed in business this long."

Monkey laughed, "Yeah…it's not just that though."

"So I _was_ right!" his brown-haired friend exclaimed, his first expression of alacrity since the fight. He approached the white-haired man and smiled a lively smile, "You're going to go after them, aren't you! Crazy fool!"

"It's _lunatic_ ," he corrected, "And actually…it's not even _that_. I've…" he stuffed his hands in dark grey pant pockets, "I've been thinking…of…closing shop."

"T-The circus?" his friend sounded incredulous, " _Why?!"_

The man named Monkey shrugged. "I'm tired."

His friend backed away, "Who are you, and where has Sun Wu-Kong gone to?" he looked around.

Monkey smiled. "Nowhere," he answered simply. "He's just a little tired of tumbling and cartwheeling through this place."

"Monkey," his friend scolded, "That is a page from _my_ life, not yours. How could you even think of such a thing? What would your younger brother say?"

"I don't know. I know he'll react this way…but…I don't know," he scratched the thought behind his ear absently, "I…just feel like going away. You know. Back to…the mountains."

"…It's about Katherine," the brown-haired man said softly.

"…Yeah," Monkey sighed.

"I see," said Harou, once again poised and meditative. "And…the Pentala? The fighting? What about them?"

The short man sighed again, "I'm not leading the rebellion. I know you all want me to, but I can't. Believe it or not, I'm not as impulsive as I used to be."

"Oh I'm beginning to," the brown-haired man folded his arms—then all of a sudden he turned, "Do you hear anything?" he wondered quietly.

"…No," Monkey responded curiously. "What do you hear, Horse? D'you think…?"

Taylor shut her eyes, keeping quiet as could be-unfortunately her stomach was empty and banging like a drum painfully.

"I'm not sure what it is…" his friend in coat responded. "Sounded like one of your animatronic creatures."

"Oh damn, if one wandered away again I am going to kill Coushander."

"Now there's a crime to run from," Harou grinned.

Monkey rolled his eyes. "They're so popular with the kids, but they fall apart! The batteries don't last long enough."

"Sh—it's over there," Harou whispered suddenly.

No sooner than she watched them take a few steps her way, she began moving backwards. No sooner she began to retreat, she found the man named 'Monkey' hanging upside down from a tree limb right above her, looking down at this strange girl. Taylor shrieked in surprise, " _How did you_ -!"

Saru hopped down and simply smiled curiously—it was almost like he was looking at a mirror image of himself—almost. Except she was a young girl and he a man in his mid-fifties with a bit of a stubbly chin at the moment and red-stripes bordering his dark, almond shaped eyes.

Harou reacted with fear—"Saru, get away from her!" He arrived late to the scene, "It could be a trap!"

The men heard her stomach growl again. "A trap?" Saru smiled dumbly. The word was as hollow to him as her being. "Miss…are you ok? What are you doing out here all by yourself?"

"Um…" Taylor mumbled, "I'm…lost…Sort of."

"Okay," Monkey smiled. "Well, I'm Saru-Shin, er, Monkey, and this, this is my good friend of many, many years, Harou Nekai."

"Oh….well…" _Could it hurt to give her name?_ Hope not. "I'm Taylor."

"Taylor! A pretty name!" he smiled warmly.

Harou grunted. "Are you from this district, miss?"

"Well….yeah….sort of. It's just…It's hard to explain. Trust me."

"Are you a Pentala spy?" Harou inquired.

"Horse- _y_ …." Monkey rolled his eyes and Harou promptly muttered "Shut up, I had five on my tail yesterday." to him.

"A Pentala…spy? No. Though I hope to be a part of the Pentala someday," She nearly blurted her dad works with them, but this wasn't exactly your typical conversation.

"What!" Harou crouched into a defensive stance, "So you _are_ a spy! Whose daughter are you!"

"Harou, just cool it for a second," Monkey waved him off, "Look, look at her bag."

The stem of the rose that Dalzen had given her was stuck between two straps over her shoulder. "Dear God! What have you _done_ to _Dalzen!"_ Harou exclaimed.

"What…?"

Saru smiled. "It was a gift, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, it was," she said lightly.

"I think she's telling the truth," Saru folded his arms decidedly.

Harou began to stand normal. He sighed out through his nose. "Perhaps," he relented slowly.

"Do you have a place to stay tonight?" Monkey asked her.

 _Oh goddess, how badly will this change things?_ Taylor slowly shook her head. "Not at the moment, no. You see…I know this sounds weird, but I really don't know how to get back to my…er…home."

"Then it's settled! You'll stay with me and Coushander…if he'll allow it! Please, this way."

The three of them trekked deeper into the forest but emerged on the north side to find a really small house and larger garden. There was even a field of wheat growing on the east side, paired with tall rows of corn and a few apple trees. The last of the sun was fading to dusk, making it more difficult to scout out the rest of the land.

There were lights on though in the tiny brown house with small windows. Saru led her up the creaking wood steps and he tapped on the door—"Kousa!" he called, "We have a guest!"

When the door opened, "Haro—" almost got out until Saru's younger brother caught sight and scent of the new stranger, "Who…in the world are you?"

"Her name is Taylor," Saru said at once, "And for right now she needs some supper and a place to stay." He blinked his eyes rapidly like a puppy hoping to appease his master…or bribe him with good deeds. Coushander was dubious…until he noticed the rose attached to her pack. "Are you a friend of Dalzen's?" he asked.

"Um—yeah. I met him today."

"Well…"

"Please? Please can we keep her?" Saru begged.

Harou smiled tiredly at his old friend's enthusiasm and Coushander finally surrendered, "I suppose…if she has no place else to go."

"Great! I'll work in the garden for the next week! I swear!"

"Yeah…that'd be fine and dandy if you could cook anything you harvest," his younger brother rolled his eyes.

"Ha ha ha…." Saru smiled with a sweat drop falling somewhere near his bangs as he ushered her inside first.

"Yeah, how is that going to work out when you leave…?" Harou began to ask until Saru punched his side.

"What was that?" Coushander asked as they entered immediately into the kitchen.

Saru laughed, "He said…what we are going to eat?"

"Harou-san eats poetry. The girl, I dunno. You can help yourself," he told her, "But what did he say?" Coushander said seriously, his eyes locked on his older brother.

"Umm…" Saru and Taylor both said in unison. _Awkward!_

Harou smiled, "This should be interesting…" He opened a cupboard behind him and asked the girl if she liked ramen. She nodded, and the brown-haired man filled a pan with water and turned on the burner on the stove. The brothers had at it: "What is going on?" Coushander demanded.

"I—er, was going to wait to tell you, but…I'm just…I've just been planning a little trip, that's all."

"Where?"

"To the mountains."

A hush fell in the room until Coushander swallowed, "It's about…Katherine." He echoed Horse's statement.

"…Yeah…" Saru stared at his socks for a moment. "I know I won't find…her…but I could at least visit…her grave. And I was thinking…of…well…staying up there—for a while."

"I don't understand. How long?"

"It may be a few months…or….years..."

" _What?!"_ Coushander exclaimed.

"Tea?" Harou asked calmly, "Water? Milk?"

"Er—tea. That's fine. Earl grey if there's any."

"Sure. And I think there's some apples here somewhere…" he looked around for the basket and a knife. (Taylor began to see why they nicknamed him 'horse' judging by his expression when finding them in the basket by the pantry.)

While Taylor sat down to her ramen first, tea second, they were still going at it, "But the resistance!" Coushander uttered.

"Kousa, I'm not starting a war."

"But! But you were so _good_ at _it!"_

"We were young. We had no choice." Saru said.

"But…But you can't leave _now._ Not with the Pentala the way it _is!_ We owe—"

"Coushander, I fought with them almost half my life and we fought to live free. If I can't be allowed to do that now, what in God's name was I fighting for?"

Coushander blinked as if he'd just been slapped in the face with those words. "But…"

"I know," Saru frowned. "I know this is a bad time, and maybe I am being a little selfish…but I need to do this. I've…needed to do it for a while, actually."

"A-And the circus?"

Monkey smiled a half-smile. "No more."

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	4. Wagon Ride

**Set This Circus Down**

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Chapter 4, _Wagon Ride_

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Taylor paused with her chopsticks crossing layers of fresh squiggly noodles, and even Harou stopped crunching on an apple slice in his mouth.

She was seated at a peninsula counter in the small kitchen and gazed downward, reflecting on all these strange events, hoping she wasn't already influencing them. _…So how does the circus end up going down in flames?_ she wondered morbidly. Pushing away the thought, she looked back up to the brothers.

Coushander was quite tall, almost as tall as the magician. He wore old clothes—an old field robe and his light gray hair was long and pulled back in a ponytail in a style very similar to hers. His eyes were a grayish-blue, the color of mist. Meanwhile Saru-Shin was very short, and his hair was a little whiter and cut short with darker color eyes, almond shaped and intense with red stripes on either side. They were a contrasting sight, but still very similar.

"Y-You'd sell it?" Coushander said.

"If I can. If not…"

"…Wow."

There was a long silence in the room.

"…Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Coushander wondered aloud after a while. "Or were you just gonna leave without goodbyes?"

"I would have told you. After all, I am your employer," he smiled a little.

" _Part-time_ employer," Coushander retorted seriocomically.

Saru looked over Cou's shoulder, "Getting enough?" he asked the girl.

Taylor had just finished the bowl and could barely keep her eyes open. "Mm-hm," she stifled a yawn.

"Forgive me…I'll show you to your room," Saru said, and readily escorted her…around the corner, passing by a large bathroom. Saru had picked up her bag for her and he set it gently on the bed. "I'm sorry it isn't much. It's my nephew's room, but he's away at school in the city. He doesn't come home much."

A great sigh of relief ran through her knowing her grandfather wasn't present, even though she'd give anything at the moment to see the older version of him. She bet anything he was adorable! "Thanks," she smiled sleepily.

"Yup! If you need anything, let one of us know. Please make yourself at home," he said, closing the door, "Oh and goodnight!"

"Goodnight," she returned, then proceeded to fall back on the bed. Sleep, for once, came quickly.

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Saru-Shin was already gone to the circus by the time she awoke.

Coushander was in the kitchen, making breakfast at only a little better pace than Harou last night. Kousa didn't have the intrigue of an argument though. The words were still weighing on his mind however, and how exactly Saru could've kept something like this from him for that long. Granted, Coushander could be called oblivious sometimes, but he didn't like missing details. Especially not when it came to his own family. His son and older brother were all he had left now.

While in the middle of this reverie, he noticed the girl come in slowly from the hall. She was clean and in her same clothes as yesterday. "Oh—please," he invited. "It's not much, but it's breakfast."

"Thank you," Taylor sat down in her same spot before the counter and Coushander sat across from her, putting some toast on his plate. He'd fixed some oatmeal (he always kept it on the top shelf so Harou wouldn't find it) and some eggs, having been unsure as to what the girl might like. He also fixed some tea, an extra effort for guests. "So…" he wasn't great at small talk but it was worth a shot, "My older brother told me you…can't get home."

"Basically," she answered, now worrying about that thought more than anything else at the moment. "I'm not sure how I can return," she thought aloud. "That young tree, in the circus, you know—in the middle of the gang-way there, there isn't anything special about it, is there?"

"Oh that little one? No. My brother planted it when he bought the land after the end of the war. That's all I know…"

"Oh," she sighed. "Nevermind."

He gave her a moment in evident disappointment of some kind before he continued. "…We noticed you packed light. Can we help you find anything? Kano—er, my wife knows how to shop, sort of. I don't let her buy my clothes obviously," he laughed a little. "But she's a girl. Er…not a girly-girl, but…well…" Wow, that was awesome conversation Coushander. Great job.

Taylor smiled a little, "I'm not girly either. In fact some people have mistaken me for a guy—when I was little anyway."

"Oh. Well you're a very pretty young lady," Coushander answered. "You remind me a little of Saru, too…He said he found you alone in the woods. Don't you know it's a little dangerous to be by yourself these days?"

"I can look after myself," Taylor said firmly. "I'm not exactly defenseless."

"You have a power?"

She nodded. "Mm-hm."

"So do we. Most of us. Even Kano, my wife," he added. He wasn't used yet to calling her his wife, but they did go through with the ceremony a few months ago with their closest friends. "Her power is a rare one. Anyway," he cut short, in case the girl really was a spy as Harou had feared. (Of course Horse questioned anything as only a good pessimist should.) But Coushander's intuition was the same as his brother's, and he took the girl and her case seriously.

Meantime, Taylor sensed his hesitation. Coushander was definitely a lot more reserved than his older brother, and maybe a little more cautious too. She couldn't really blame him though. So she got up and put away her dishes—she wasn't a big breakfast person but she appreciated the effort and thanked him anyway. Noticing the day from the window, she smiled a little at the familiar sight of wheat and a garden. Her wrist was feeling better today too. Still, the churning insides of her stomach reminded her at once she was still very far from home.

Coushander asked her what she might like tomorrow and with a smile she asked him if he had any miso. The elder in front of her grinned, "Sure!"

"So have you got any money?" he asked her after he cleared his own side. "I was thinking about going to the town today anyway. Then I've got to work the circus at four. You're welcome to come along then, too. Maybe you could help Saru with the books if he's really intending on making a break for it. Good God does he suck at math. I've tried to help him in the past, but I can never stay the course. Arguing with him…well…it goes like it did last night. Nowhere, really…"

"What do you do, at the circus?" She couldn't really see him in a funny costume like Dalzen, unless it was something even more fantastic.

"Well, I don't really do anything," he admitted, "I just fix things and make sure all the equipment runs smoothly. I also build partitions and risers when my brother needs them."

"…Oh yeah, Saru mentioned some sort of animatronics creatures?"

"Oh, haha, yeah, I—" Suddenly there was a knock at the back door. Taylor couldn't explain it, but she felt a sudden rush of fear come over her. The people of this generation were living with the danger of something going down, and she didn't want to be in the middle of it. Talking herself out of panic she waited for her great-grandfather to open the door—a woman's voice smiled hello and Taylor's shoulders relaxed a little. "Kano," Coushander said, "What are you doing here so early?"

"I can't visit my own husband?" Kano Hoseki smiled.

"Oh…" Coushander blushed a little as he re-entered the kitchen with her. "Kano, we have a guest staying with us. This is Taylor…Oh, uh, didn't catch your last name…"

QUICK! "Er—er, Tobimasa—Tei-ra!" she rattled off.

Kano smiled, extending a hand, "I'm Kano Hoseki. Pleased to meet you!"

"And you!" _Whew!_

"I think we were just about to head off to town," Kousa continued. "Want to tag along?"

"Oh sure!"

Coushander went outside and clipped on the reins to an old brown horse (it wasn't Harou, but an actual horse...though it was a running joke that they were long lost twins…..Harou never found it funny….), hooking him on to a small wagon with bits of straw in the bed. Coushander and Kano got in the front rise, and Taylor took the back. "I'm really sorry for the mess," Coushander apologized over his shoulder.

"Oh it's fine," she said and was about to blurt how grandpa Sakumo never really cleaned his wagon out either. And she wondered all of a sudden if he and her father had noticed her gone yet…

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They had.

And they hadn't exactly gone to bed yet from the night before, though they were considering it now as their tired limbs could not be persuaded to go another mile. They met back at the house at eight in the morning, hoping to find Taylor, smiling and at home with an apology and explanation, but only silence greeted them in the empty house with a lost sunrise filtering in through the windows.

Her father was at a loss for words.

Enoki collapsed on the floor, not even bothering to shed his Pentala uniform though the vest was heavy from twenty-four hours' worth of sweat and anxiety. The last twelve hours had been the worst from eight pm last night, both guardians realizing she was in serious danger…wherever she was.

Her scent had disappeared in the forest, where the circus had been.

Sakumo repeated it was all his fault. If only he'd been honest with her, perhaps she wouldn't have gone back there to find answers.

But Enoki was too tired to argue who was right or who was wrong at the moment. "Maybe in the morning…we'll find her," his voice cracked.

A morning like what was glistening the tears in his eyes.

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The ride was a little bumpy but the view was amazing down the lane. It was similar to her last walk home—the leaves were beginning to turn and the sun on her back was warm and comfortable like a blanket. The teenager yawned again—why was she so tired? Was it just the stress of yesterday?

"So Taylor, are you thirteen maybe?" Kano asked.

Taylor picked her head up, "I'm fourteen."

"Your parents must be missing you."

"Yeah…it's just me, my dad, and my _ojiisan_. And…I didn't really tell them where I was going…" she finished miserably.

"Where _were_ you going?" Coushander asked, in a tone reminiscent of a stern father.

"I…Well…I don't really know," she answered truthfully. "I was just…exploring some woods. I never meant to come _this_ far," she smiled ironically.

The girl's story remained a bit vague but Coushander let it go. He flicked the reins again and soon enough the small town came into view, and along with that, small homes, large trees, little shops, and horses raising dust on the small and narrow streets. One of the buildings seemed to catch Taylor's eye immediately—the place seemed so familiar, but how?

Coushander led the horse right, toward one of the largest establishments, and shortly they came to a halt. Everyone jumped out and Coushander tied off the lead onto a post for that purpose. "You're free to go off on your own," Coushander smiled. "But if you need anything, just let us know. I'm going in to look at some farming equipment. It's kind of boring."

"No it's not," Taylor replied and then nearly covered her mouth. "I mean…we live off the land too…I mean I know what it's like….Um—thanks for the ride!" She smiled and half-bowed quickly, ready to escape more questioning.

Taylor's legs carried her north, on the opposite side to the little shop she saw with the familiar plaque over it's small yellow door. When she arrived, she stared at the store front nestled in the row of buildings and smiled. The sign was in very old writing, surrounded by a falling cascade of white lilies and silver color scrollwork bordering the plaque. Looking in the window, she saw the displays of art and art supplies. "…Of course! Kiiro's shop!" she grinned. "Though Kiiro probably isn't even born yet…"

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	5. Horse and Owl

**Set This Circus Down**

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Chapter 5, _Horse and Owl_

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But Kiiro's shop in Taylor's time had moved to the big city, along with it's familiar antiquated sign that had undergone—or rather, was about to undergo several repaints. Taylor smiled and walked in, ringing a petite bell on a long violet cord as the door closed behind her.

"Hello!" a woman robed in gray answered. Her outfit was long and simple but the trim on the sleeves was like a tribal rainbow, matching a headband in her chestnut brown hair. She appeared to be in her late thirties. And looking behind the counter, the silver-haired girl noticed a very small girl with the same color hair. Taylor guessed them both to be Kiiro's grandmother and (future) mother. Taylor smiled back, "Hi! What a lovely shop!" She almost blurted _, "I love coming here_!" when she knew if she did, the woman would probably think her a lunatic (not that that was a bad thing), or possibly a spy as Harou had done.

"Thank you! Feel free to browse. We're a little unique and out of the way, but I think it's worth it, if we can inspire young people to create something."

"Definitely," the young girl agreed. "I like experimenting with different kinds of mediums. Lately I've been into markers."

"Markers? I'm afraid we don't have many of those…"

"That's okay," Taylor smiled. "…Oh! Something else immediately caught her eye and she walked over. It was a miniature sketchbook, perfectly travel sized and decorated in ancient writing with red stripes on the spine. She looked at the back, inexpensive too! She almost felt a little guilty by the time she reached the register with that and a few drawing pens. The total on the receipt was cheap and Taylor had plenty of money.

"Can't interest you in any sculpture making today miss?"

Taylor glanced back to all the pottery on display, and the big spinning wheel in the back. In addition to common art supplies like paper, canvas, linen, and paints, there was an overwhelming amount of clay pottery on display paired with shaping wire, spatulas, knives, enamel glazes, and sculptures by both professionals and Kiiro's very young mother. Taylor grinned and part of her wished she could explore that avenue, but the other half hoped to hell she wasn't here that long _to_ explore it. "Not today," she decided. "I'm sure it's fun though."

"Very. And we just got in more modeling clay. It goes so quickly!"

Taylor wanted to laugh, but refrained. Apparently she'd come smack dab in the middle of a fad. "Thank you!" she said again when the transaction was over. She bowed a little before leaving, wishing she could have spent a little more time in here. But Taylor didn't want mess with the timeline any more than she was. So instead the girl moved on to a clothing shop and bought a few shirts, some pants, and intimates for her stay…however long that was going to be. She also found a simple grey half-coat a little similar to Harou's with a teal-color tie in the front reminiscent of the magician's color scheme.

Checking out with that and her other new items, she met up with Coushander and Kano back at the wagon. He had just finished as well, smiling like a kid who'd just come out of a candy store. His son (her grandfather) wore it often. Taylor smiled sadly.

"Find what you needed?" Kano asked her.

"Oh—yes," she said.

"Well how about you sit up front this time," Kano winked. "I'll take the back."

"Oh—" and before she knew it, the older woman was already hopping in the back and Coushander was untying the lead.

So Taylor stepped in and consolidated a couple of her bags behind her. Coushander got in and turned the horse he called Zosha, leading him down the main road.

"You know," Kano thought aloud as the return trip began, "I was telling Coushander it seems so strange you two have the same hair color."

Taylor blushed a little…she wasn't sure how this conversation was going to end exactly. Pretty much like her trip here. Kano continued, "Is it possible you two are related?"

To her relief, Coushander's eyes were as wide as the young girl's right next to him. But Kano looked at him expectantly. "Well…" the older Hatake flicked the reins a little—Zosha picked up into a trot. Coushander looked at him absently and pulled a little, to keep the horse walking. "Um…I don't know. Grandpa Hatake was…a mountain man…as far as I know she was an only child. Saru got his stripes from him cause it skipped a generation with our father. And he was an only child….as far as I know anyway. I mean…maybe there's something somewhere, but…I don't know. I'm not sure. Taylor seems to be pretty nice and polite…if we did have extended family, I doubt they'd be as nice as her..."

Taylor smiled. Even though they barely knew each other, she felt a strong connection to this man, her great-grandfather, and his brother. They must've felt the same.

"Well…Maybe she's from the future then!" Kano laughed. Coushander did too, and Taylor grinned awkwardly, lucky to keep her balance in her seat.

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The silver-haired girl spent most of the afternoon in her room (her grandfather's room), staring over her new notebook sadly, wondering how she could leave this time. Every thought she had led her mind's eye back to the circus. She was eager to return when Coushander knocked on her door. Taylor opened it to find him no longer in a lazy (and patched) robe, but an old light gray shirt with an old brown vest over dark blue pants. He was even earing an old grey hat, too! Ugh, she hated hats. But it looked good on him…and really silly at the same time. The last thing she wanted to do was laugh at him, but he looked so ordinary in his working garb. Also, the outfit made him look even older than he already was. "…What?" he said, as if he could see all these thoughts under her wild bangs that were much like his own though he'd brushed his off to the side now with that dumb hat. "You comin'? My shift starts at the circus soon."

"Of course," Taylor nodded, and within a matter of seconds, she was ready to go.

Her new outfit was a change from her school uniform. She was now wearing some dark gray capri pants, sandals, and blue tank top. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail, not to copy her great-grandfather any further, but to change her look from yesterday. Together, the curious pair walked outside and Coushander stopped for a moment as if he were completely devoid of thought. "…Are we taking the wagon?" Taylor asked him.

"Well," the older man smiled a little. "I usually just ride Zosha there…"

"Oh."

"Would that be ok?" Coushander asked her. "Have you ever ridden a horse before?"

"No," but she'd ridden her father when she was half her size now. Taylor smiled, "But that's fine."

"Ok. Well just hang on to me then, ok?"

The girl nodded.

Being a little short and rather than take Coushander's hand, the young girl utilized the fence slats and jumped up behind her great-grandfather. "Well," he remarked as the old gray gelding shifted slightly, "Wherever you come from, you're certainly used to being on your own," he said, impressed. "A lot of girls around here aren't like that… Well, except for my wife. She was alone for a long time. Kano, that is. You aren't alone, are you? I mean…you're lost, but you aren't totally alone, right?"

"No, I'm not alone," she replied. "I have my dad and my grandpa too…They took good care of me," she wanted to add that both were Pentala members, though her grandfather had quit some years ago. But she refrained since that organization seemed not be looked highly upon just then. She made a mental note to ask about that later on though.

"Ah. Well, hang on," her great-grandfather reminded as he flicked the reins. Taylor nodded, and awkwardly put her hands around his waist. But Coushander didn't seem to mind. He continued their conversation. "Your mother's gone?" he asked softly.

"Yeah…though I never really knew her."

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said. "I lost my first wife a long time ago. Her name was Matsuko. She gave me my son…" here he chuckled a little, "I didn't want a kid. I _really_ didn't want a kid, but it meant so much to her. She had one. And it was…is the best thing she left to me. That, and her memory. I went to a really dark place without her, but I've gotten better." Here, Coushander tried looking behind him, "Sorry if I bore you. But that's about it."

"Oh, you're fine. Everyone's got a story."

The older man smiled. "Yeah. I suppose. Me and Kano meeting again was a doosy… You've got a story, too, I'm sure, though you're being quiet about it."

"Well…It's complicated…" Her face flushed a little.

"It's ok," he smiled. "I won't ask again if you don't want to tell. I respect that. I value my privacy pretty well…especially after going through what we did. And by we I mean me, my older brother, Kano, that man Harou, a man named Dalzen (I think you met him), and man named Ichida Takato."

"Oh. Were you…fighters?"

Coushander nodded, "For the Pentala…shortly after it was formed. Nowadays it's…well, it's not under the leadership it used to be. Nothing seems to last," Coushander sighed. "We're too old now to fight a revolution…"

"Harou seems pretty passionate about it,"

"Harou does care. He's…well, sort of the defacto leader of the resistance at the moment. And he's been trying to convince my brother to lead the rebellion, because Horse himself is not by any means leader material. He can lead you into depression, but that's about it…" Coushander laughed. "He's a great fighter-he's the one who taught me because our powers are the same, but he's not a leader. Not by any means. But…" Coushander sighed. "Monkey…my brother…just won't do it."

Taylor remembered the brothers' conversation when first arriving at their home. She frowned. "What about you?"

"Me?! Oh I'm not a leader either. The only person left that could possible fill those shoes is Dalzen, but…"

Taylor's eyes looked up on the back of Coushander's head, "…But?"

"Well...Dalzen and Harou don't exactly get along. They do. But they don't. There was…ah…an incident back in our stealth days where they were stationed together for six months up north. They both ended up in jail. To this day they argue about who the hell's fault it was…" Coushander chuckled. They were able to get out just before the rest of us caught up to them. They didn't speak to each other since then for another six months. Which is a little awkward to say the least when your best friends don't get along…" Coushander chuckled again.

Taylor grinned. "Aw…those poor men."

"Poor _boys_. Listen here girl, a man is _always_ gonna be a boy. They never outgrow _that_ ," there was a smile in his voice as he said it.

Taylor chuckled, "Well thanks for the advice."

"Anytime!"

With the lull in the conversation, Taylor rested her eyes on the trees passing by. The ride was actually getting a little soothing by now until a few of the trees reminded her of the large one that initiated her trip; "You know…me getting here had something to do with a tree."

"A tree…huh? Well, Harou knows this land better than anybody (he's been all over). If you want to know about topography and nature, he'd be the one of us to ask."

"I'll try him then," Taylor said hopefully. "And hey…do Harou and Dalzen speak to each other now?"

"Mm…every now and then. Harou does give him reports of what's going on, and I know they exchange information."

"Oh, ok."

"Oh, believe me, Kano's tried a _thousand_ times with failed surprise birthday parties, reunions, cookouts, and just your run of the mill, 'Oh I was just shopping with him and we ran into you' surprise meetings. They are horrible."

"But they both seem so nice! Ok, well, Harou _was_ the first one to think I was a spy, but he seems nice under his cloak and ten layers of clothing…"

Coushander laughed so hard he snorted. "That man does dress like a tree, doesn't he? He's got bark, but no bite…Only in battle it comes out. Sometimes he scares me. Dalzen's the same way. He can be cool as shade but in battle he's terrifying. His gift is illusions, and damn is he good at what he does. They say that anybody can learn that but I'm not so sure. He's also a really good fighter and and he can get into your head. I'm _not_ joking…Never _ever_ get into a card game with him," Coushander added.

"Does he have a nickname? You all seem to have animal nicknames...Horse, Monkey…"

"Dalzen is our owl."

"And you?"

Coushander smiled. "Any guesses?"

Taylor thought. If he and Harou shared the same gift, surely they were similar quadrupeds. "…Fox?"

Coushander smiled. "I wish'd I'd have been dumb as one. I'm flattered! No. Sadly. We called our first leader 'Fox'. The first man to command the Pentala, as was. He was Saru and Harou's teacher you know."

"…Did they call you Dog?"

"Nope. That was Kano actually. And she didn't want to be called it, but her father willed her his tracking dog, and it just stuck," Coushander chuckled. "Oh, yeah, Takato was our Crane. Only he and Dalzen could fly when necessary," Kousa smiled. "Not literally speaking, but the two did go on a lot of missions together. Birds of a feather…"

"Hmm…." Taylor kept thinking. She knew she had to have gotten close with dog. "…A Wolf?"

"Yup!" Coushander exclaimed. "That was me!"

Taylor smiled.

"How about you? What can we call you?"

Taylor thought. "Well, all the good ones are already taken."

"Nonsense. There's bound to be one that fits you."

"…Well," she thought again. "…How bout Cat?"

"Cat? We can do that. All right Cat, We're just about here…"

The giant ferris wheel came into view as they broke through the thick trees of the forest. There ahead of them, large striped tents stood with thick smells of sugar, fried food, and popcorn. Coushander directed the horse into a stable on the east side.

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	6. Cat and Monkey

**Set This Circus Down**

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Chapter 6, _Cat and Monkey_

 **A/N:** Sorry that I wander back to Harou again a little in this chapter…I just love him so much… :) I'm having a lot of fun with this. It's turning into a good re-imagining of 'Coushander' if Saru had never died. Granted things are different, but it's still pretty similar.

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The two hopped off and Wolf led the gray horse inside the gate of the paddock, clipping off the reins and hanging them on the shaded side of a lean-to where a big black horse was resting lazily, standing on a thick bed of hay. There were a few other horses here and the gray gelding nickered 'Hello' to a few of them.

"Well, I'm off to make my rounds…I'm sure there's something broken here tonight at one of the stands. There always is…"

"Mk," Taylor nodded. "…Have fun," she added as he waved.

The sun was still a little high over the trees and bright yellow, and the circus was only partially inhabited at this time between noon and night. Cat decided to walk into the heart of it, visiting the main corridor with that tiny, unremarkable tree that wouldn't glow now with her touch. The young girl frowned and walked on further.

After passing through the road with all the games, she found the mirror maze on her left, and a larger, semi-open playhouse on her right where small children half her size and age were peering out through windows with their parents watching up from below and waving. Then she saw a psychic's house clothed in maroon with beads and silver ribbon, then an old-time (even older than this apparently) photo booth, and then a small, ordinary building beyond that.

Taylor walked up toward it.

It was a small wooden structure with a slanted aluminum roof, and she heard two men's voices from inside and quickly recognized them. "Monkey…how on earth did anyone ever give you a _loan_ for this place?!"

"What? I already paid that back!"

Harou shook his head. "No no no. Considering your math and business skills…Or lack thereof. Monkey, I'm tired of trying to figure out your numbers, I quit!" And just as the man dressed in brown was half-way out the rusted side door, he stopped. "Oh. You. Miss Taylor…" Harou remembered. At which point the grump remembered to smile. It was a sad one.

"Hi…" she said.

"Say—are you any good at math?" he asked her, folding his arms beneath his half-coat.

"Well…yeah. I get good grades."

"Good," he nodded. "Then maybe you can help Monkey out…" he jerked his thumb behind him, rolling his eyes. Harou began moving on when Taylor remembered suddenly, "Oh, hey, maybe later Harou-san you could help me with something? I just have a few questions for you."

Harou blinked. He retained that suspicious nature from earlier, but he didn't refuse her. "Fine," he said. "I'll be in the forest west of here. _Patrolling_ ," he added well loud enough for Saru-Shin to hear. Monkey chuckled in response. "Thank you Horse-y! We all appreciate it!"

"Hmph," Harou waved them off and left.

Taylor entered her great-uncle's office.

It was, in short, a mess.

There were a multitude of sticky notes, yes, sticky notes, a great mass of binders (in no discernable order), opened and unopened mail, and office supplies strewn about everywhere (paper clip chains, broken staplers, pencils stuck into the ceiling upside down, dangling silent and waiting to fall on someone's head). "Umm….okay…." was the all the girl could really say. Granted grandpa could be a little messy at times, but this made grandpa's tool shed look good.

"Hi!" Monkey smiled quickly. "Welcome to my office!"

"Your…office…Umm…" Again, "…Okay…" Sure, we'll call it that.

"Yeah…heh, it is a bit of a mess," he admitted, "But it's mine."

"Did you…need help…?" She asked, though she was already beginning to regret it. Her eyes finally found his ledger, robed in green and lined with scribbles from black, blue, and red pens.

"Well sure, I'd love it. We were just trying to enter in some of these bills and things…"

Taylor groaned less than fifteen minutes in, rubbing her eyes, her wrist, and trying to maintain some patience.

"Okay," she pointed, "Why are your accounts receivable so screwed up? Some are paid, some aren't…?"

"Well…I haven't found all of them yet. And then there's the psychic lady and she pays me rent in fortunes, so I have absolutely no way to calculate that. Although," he thought, "I have had very good luck the past seven years."

Taylor stared at him.

"Okay…well you're the first businessman I've ever met who seems not to care if he's making a profit or not. Are you rich or something?" The girl could only hope…

Monkey shrugged, "Not really. I mean…I inherited a man's business (long story), but I sold most of that. I only have a small share in that now which I use to help run this place…and pay for food. And clothes. Those are all I really need."

Taylor let her head drop on the cluttered desk. Then she rose up again. "Ok. Back at it."

"So…how did your day go?" he asked cheerfully.

Taylor glanced at him and shrugged.

"You're homesick."

The girl was quiet.

"Do you have family?"

 _Well, I am sitting with you,_ she thought awkwardly. Then she repeated what she'd told his younger brother. "Oh, I see," Monkey said. "…And your mom?"

"Never knew her. And daddy doesn't talk about her much."

"I'm sorry," he said. "Our mother passed away quite young. I was eight…Coushander was three. We both took it pretty hard I guess. There's a lot of things that a woman can do a man can't."

Taylor smiled a little. She liked the way he worded that for some reason. "We have…" she had wanted to tell him there was a female in charge of the Pentala now, and lately Taylor had formed a good relationship with her. Instead, she awkwardly finished, "…some good points. Like paying _attention_ in math class," she added, narrowing her eyes playfully.

Saru-Shin laughed. "Coushander and I never went to school. Not for one day, or one hour! Our neighbor did—Matsuko, Coushander's wife—well, first one," he added. "We were both raised on the farm and I left as soon as I could. I mean…I liked it, and I appreciated it, but there was so much more out there. My dad could never see that. Rather...maybe he never wanted to."

Taylor smiled and listened while she was attempting to make a few numbers make sense. "My father hated me for it," Saru continued, and shrugged. "But he and I never saw eye to eye anyway. I was way too much of a rebel," he winked playfully.

"Ah," she smiled, and noticed then the striking difference between Monkey and Horse. Monkey could talk about sad things happily. Horse couldn't. It was a wonder with what Wolf told her earlier. If anyone shouldn't get along, it should have been Monkey and Horse. Meanwhile, Saru was studying her profile. "Do you have any siblings?" he asked her.

"Oh—no, I was an only child."

"You know it's so weird you have that hair color," he commented. "I mean to say it's pretty, it's just very unusual. I thought it was just in our family."

"Hahaha…" Taylor laughed a little mirthlessly. "I know…right…? Strange…"

Saru kept looking at her. Taylor nearly thought he was going to suggest that she'd come from the future like Kano had done. Instead he thanked her for looking at his books. "Horse hates doing it. And tonight he seems a little more peeved than usual."

"Yes…he is a bit anti-social…isn't he?" Taylor grinned.

"Hahaha!" Monkey laughed. "Got that right."

"And you seem the exact opposite," she said. "So how is it you two seem to get along and he and Owl don't?"

"Ah, you've been talking to Coushander…! Or rather vice-versa," Monkey smiled. "Well," he thought, "I suppose the answer to that is simply that I've known Harou for a very, _very_ long time. Since we were kids. We were both runaways, after a fashion," Monkey explained. "Harou left his home at an even earlier age than I did though. He was an orphan, and treated very badly…he'd kill me for telling you this, but his guardian was not exactly qualified to take care of him. He was old and a drunkard, and we'll leave it at that…Anyway, he ran away and came to this land. A farmer and his wife took him in and finished raising him. I think Harou was very happy there. But he was like me in that he knew he wanted to learn how to defend himself and what was important to him.

"He was a year ahead of me in training when I met him. And at first, we _didn't_ get along. He was a grump…like he is now. And quiet. And he kept to himself. But over time, he opened up, and since then we've kept no secrets."

"So what about him and Owl?"

Monkey half-smiled. "They do care about each other…er, not in a weird way. But as compatriots. They'll always have each other's back. But…that time they were thrown in jail together …they could never forgive each other for that…" Saru-Shin started laughing. "We all think it's funny now, and they hate that even more…!" It took him a few seconds to _stop_ laughing. "It was pretty funny. I mean, it wasn't when it happened, but now it is. They're both incredibly stubborn. But Harou's nature makes it harder for him to open up. Even Dalzen was an orphan half-way through his childhood. But being abused as Harou was changes a person. Sometimes I wonder what he'd be like if it hadn't happened," Monkey finished thoughtfully with a distant look past his paper-clip chains. "Well. Stubborn or not, his heart is still in the right place. Remember that," he smiled.

The distant look transferred to Taylor's face and she frowned again, putting down her pencil to massage her wrist for a moment. The pain wasn't as bad as a few days ago, but it still bothered her. "My dad calls me that all the time. Stubborn…"

"What else do they call you?"

She looked up at him and at first, she didn't understand. Then she remembered her last conversation with his brother. "Oh! Cat! I'm a Cat!"

"Great! So you've met Horse, me—Monkey, Wolf…Dog?"

"Yup," she nodded.

"And I guess you met Owl first. He gave you that rose."

Taylor found herself blushing a little as she nodded. She picked up the pencil again and listened as Saru continued, "Crane isn't working tonight, he's patrolling the south end. He's the last member of our little group. He's a really good man and a brilliant performer, you should see him. He didn't think he'd have anything to contribute in the start when I asked him to work here with me, but he's amazing. He's got such perfect balance. His gift is manipulating water…it's like artistry, though he won't admit to it."

"And your power…?"

"Mine is energy."

"Oh, mine too!"

"My color is green."

"Mine's blue! Like ice."

"Goes with your eyes then," Saru smiled. "My brother doesn't have it though…the light energy. Usually it's the same thing in every family. But he actually shares the same power as Harou. They both can manipulate the wind. Harou taught him how to pair it with blades, too. Sometimes it does take on a color when they're pushed enough…Harou's is silver…Coushander's was…yellow I think. He hasn't done it years though…probably not since we were all in active duty. You probably have already guessed Dalzen's power…that is illusions," Taylor nodded. Saru looked like he got the chills for a split second, "Sometimes I think he has the scariest gift of all."

"Is he working tonight?" Taylor asked nonchalantly.

Saru nodded. "He usually works all the days of the festivals. He has nothing else to do these days…Though he does keep an eye on things. He's a widower, like Coushander was. Except Dalzen had a son and a daughter and both are grown now. The boy, Teal, had been in the Pentala up until the power transfer and now he's gone into hiding. Hoshi didn't even have the chance to sign up when things started to change. So she became a grade-school teacher and tries to keep a low profile too. Dalzen became quite famous in our glory days…he had a lot of back-alley offers from other coalitions. Luckily he stayed on our side."

After a while, Saru smiled. "It's a wonder we've all lived this long, really," Monkey commented. "We were all so incredibly lucky, despite everything that happened…You know, I started a war once," Saru-Shin admitted, scratching the back of his neck. "I mean, part of it _is_ a tad exaggerated, but Horse and our old teacher were both there too. And we started it…I started some other fights, too…But we always finished them," he said, a touch proudly. "This time it is personal though, because it's the Pentala itself. But…" he sighed.

"…But?"

"Well…I'm not fighting this time."

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	7. Cat and Calico

**Set This Circus Down**

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Chapter 7, _Cat and Calico_

 **A/N:** Calico shall return in another chapter besides this…just not sure when yet.

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The statement seemed a contradiction of everything he was. "Why not?" Cat asked curiously. She remembered Horse had the same incredulity as in the forest.

"Well," Monkey thought, glancing up at one of his pencils lodged in the ceiling, "There was…a girl."

Taylor controlled a small smile and stared interestedly, encouraging him on.

"Her name was Katherine. And she died during the first war…right at about the end of it. She wasn't even in it, but her little mountain town was attacked by the army from the west. I couldn't get there in time to stop it. But she died in my arms…I was devastated.

"But… she too had a power. That's what makes it so hard…even now. Her's was…one that was really hard for all of us to believe. But real or not, I loved her. I was going to marry her," Saru smiled a little, looking down at his hands. "Her gift was reincarnation. She told me that when I first met her. She said she was two hundred years old and in all that time, she'd never met a man like me. Yeah…I know," Saru grinned a little, watching the girl's expression grow wide in either disbelief or amazement—or both. "At first I couldn't wrap my head around it either. All I knew was that I loved her. The very moment I laid eyes on her. She was amazing. So kind, so beautiful…so incredibly patient. She knew so many old songs and stories…she loved dancing, and taught me how.

"But when she died, she touched the hand of her best friend…Akeno. That's how Katherine said her power worked. When she was near death, all she had to do was touch another person, a female, so that she might be born again.

"Well, years passed, and her friend…" Saru chuckled, "Who was already not thinking she'd ever get married, got married, to her surprise. Then a while later, they decided to have a child. Well. We all hoped…no…we were all _expecting_ it to be Katherine. I was so elated," Monkey smiled. "I even stayed with them in her last trimester…drove them all so crazy with my excitement…But…the baby…turned out to be a boy. And he was the only child they were ever able to conceive. He's almost thirty now…and he and his wife are expecting. Well…" Monkey looked down again, "I'm fifty-five now, but I still want to go back. I just want to be there…and see if it'll be her…I have the feeling it won't be. But I still want to go back there anyway. I always wanted to live on the mountain," he said truthfully, "Like our grandfather did. He had red stripes too, you know," he pointed with a smile. "His were in a different place though."

"Aww…" Taylor said at last. "I'm sorry," she said to him, staring a little blankly over his numbers now. "Why wouldn't it have been her though? Why was it a boy?"

Saru shook his head. "We could never answer that. Our only guess was that she may have been too close to death for it to have worked. But still…I've never shook the feeling she _is_ out there…somewhere. Born or not. I just need to find her…I just want to look, one last time."

"Well. I guess you need to look. Even if nobody wants you to go."

Monkey smiled. "Thank you. And thanks for helping me tonight. You're way nicer to work with than Harou."

"Hahaha…" Taylor smiled. Then she looked at him again. "You know, you don't look like your fifty-five."

"Oh yeah?" Monkey perked up, "How old do I look?"

"You look like you're twelve," she said, with a small roll of her eyes.

"Twelve! Well how old are you?"

"I'm fourteen."

"Fourteen! Huh, well you're two years older than me!"

"Oh, haha, very funny," Taylor grinned sarcastically.

"See? I can do math…" Saru laughed with her.

"Well…" Taylor looked back down to the book. "This is a start," she told him. "I'm too tired to do anymore."

"Thank you! That's awesome! And you make me want to clean up this mess some more. Thank you, I really appreciate all this. And hey…we'll help you find a way back home. Got that? We may be a bunch of old fogies, but we'll help you in any way we can."

She smiled. "Thanks. I'm sure they know I'm gone by now. I feel so bad. But I had just wanted to go out looking, too…it got me in trouble. Typical."

"Things will work out. If you came here, there's always a way back. There has to be."

She smiled bravely, "Sure. I hope so."

"Good. Let us know if you need anything."

"I will. I think I'll talk to Dalzen, and then try Harou."

Saru nodded.

"Thanks…" she almost said, _uncle_ Saru, but she finished, "Monkey."

"Anytime Cat!" he winked.

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The archway to the magician's lair was ivory, like bone, complete with carvings as scrolls etched into the columns and ancient writing over top. But Taylor wasn't allowed access, for there was a chain separating the light from the dark with a small sign that read: _Next show in 90 minutes._

"Ninety minutes…" she sighed.

Disappointed, Taylor turned around, wondering if by some chance she might see the oddly caped wonder or even Coushander walking around the rides or games with a toolbox in hand. Well, Cat started wandering, but had no such luck.

She wandered back to the tiny tree however, wishing something might happen and the portal could re-appear. Maybe even the little owl could come back and offer up some help or advice…Then Taylor wondered if someone could've been behind it, rather than a natural phenomenon. She couldn't really tell either way, but she vowed to keep watching the circus crowd for any deviant or familiar face.

So far, the only things recurring were the conversations in front of the food truck behind her. After standing there and smelling the food, the teenage girl couldn't help but be hungry. She didn't remember eating lunch. She was in Sakumo's room all day. So she turned around and decided to wait in line, studying the menu as she got closer. She was pleased to see that even with all the fried food and hot dogs, traditional options were still present like miso.

Cat ordered that when her time came and was also able to get a side of teriyaki chicken. She took all that and a cup of water to a picnic table in the back, readily starting into the miso soup. The line had ended with her order and moments later the girl saw another young girl (older than cat though) step down out of the back and untie a dirty white apron which she hung on a hook off the side of the doorframe.

She was holding a cup of lemonade with a straw, no ice, just a lemon wedge floating near the top. The brown-haired girl paused coming down, but there was plenty of room at the table for both of them. The girl nodded to Cat, and Cat nodded back. The older girl sat at the end of the table and couldn't help but glance over to the silver-haired wonder. The older girl smiled, "Hope it's good!"

"Oh yes," Taylor replied.

"You know…you look a lot like the owner of this place. Are you his daughter?"

 _Haha!_ "Um—no. We're…" Well, they were related, but she shouldn't say so. _Man, being in the past sucked…_ Taylor frowned. "We just happen to look alike. I do know him though." She met him yesterday!

"Oh," the girl nodded. "Well it's nice to meet you. My name's Calico. It's actually Emma, but I like Cal a lot better. It's been my nickname forever."

"Oh! Well, they call me Cat," the teenager grinned, "But it's really Taylor," _Wait, should she have given her real name? Oh well, too late now…_

"Have you been in town long?"

"Not really…I'm new here."

"Have you got any family?"

 _Why does everyone ask that…_ Taylor began to wonder. "Um—yes." _After a fashion_ , she thought But her original question was answered with Cal's next comment, "It's been tough around here with the shape things are in. I used to be able to walk home alone, but not anymore. It's just too dangerous."

The teenage girl began to feel sad for the people here. The mask of the happy circus crowd was slowly coming off. Taylor possessed a lot of empathy to begin with, but it was brought out more with admissions like that. Suddenly her appetite vanished. "So do you have someone?" Cat asked in return, since she couldn't really tell if this brown-haired girl had a power or not.

"Oh sure," Cal smiled. Taylor almost caught a blush on her face, but perhaps it was still the heat of the kitchen… "I have my partner in crime there," the older girl nodded back to the truck. "I mean…" she lowered her voice, "I feel bad once they drop me off—he has to go the opposite way. We three walk together, me and him and then this other guy who works a station here."

"Oh! Are you guys able to defend yourselves…?"

"Well…sort of. My gift isn't exactly an offensive one though. It's really lame actually. My skin can change colors or blend in with nature, and that's it. If I touch another, their skin can change too, but only when I'm touching them. Sometimes I do have to mind that I don't get flustered or upset…I can turn either red or blue," she laughed, "Depending on my mood. Sometimes it's been embarrassing."

"Aww—that's strange."

"I know," she smiled, "I hate it. My partner doesn't have a gift though. Well—actually, that's not true. The three of us joke he has no heart since he doesn't care about anything. Our other friend is a pretty good runner…though we're not really sure that's a power, either…" she trailed thoughtfully, sipping her drink.

"Well I guess I'm lucky," Taylor murmured. "I know how to defend myself. My father and grandfather trained me pretty well." _Though her power did bring her here…_

"Hey, would you give lessons?" Cal asked. "I always want to ask Saru-Shin, but I've been too afraid too. Plus I'm sure he's always busy running this place."

"Well…I suppose…" She was about to say she could ask Saru for her, but they both heard a voice from inside the truck, "Yo! Caaaal, we have a line again…."

Cal looked up and then smiled to the silver-haired girl, "Sorry! Hey, I hope I see you again! Come back for some more miso…it'll be on the house!"

"Oh, thank you!" Taylor smiled, "Bye!"

"Bye!"

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Taylor finished eating soon and wandered back to the magician's tent. She still had some time to kill, so she sneaked behind the large, dark house, finding, lo and behold, Wolf and Owl in the back with a pair of floor lamps. Coushander was screwing in some new light bulbs, "I think my brother broke the bank for these...which is hilarious considering he might sell the place…" he finished in a grumble.

"But why the hell are they blue?"

"Look, I don't argue aesthetics, I just do as I'm told."

Owl raised an eyebrow. "Hm. Well I just hope Monkey knows my stage is a _show_ and not a nightclub."

Wolf clutched his stomach, laughing. "He'll have you quit magic and start telling jokes!"

"I do not tell jokes."

Taylor grinned as she stepped forward, "You tried to tell me one when I first met you!"

"Oh…! You...! Well, I suppose I did…But you looked so heart sore I couldn't help it."

" _Awww!"_ Wolf nudged the man, only a few inches taller than himself, "Dalzen, I had no idea you'd turned into such a _softie!_ Giving girls roses…tellin' jokes…Next thing you know, we'll have you in a big furry panda suit!"

Dalzen shot the man a glare of death, but both Wolf and Cat were laughing hard like hyenas.

"It's bad enough I have to wear _this_ ," Owl muttered, "Thank you so much for entertaining me with the thought of an upgrade…"

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